And The Feel of The Ocean
by Hyaenaa
Summary: King Julien is lonely, so Mason and Phil set him up on a dating website. Skipper happens to be in the same boat, and to kill two birds with one stone, they try to put him on the website too. Of course, fate should have it that Skipper takes immediate interest in Julien's profile.


**And The Feel Of The Ocean**

* * *

King Julien was born into a life of splendor and luxury. In his rise to throne he was entitled to extravagance that came in the form of willing servants that bent to his every whim, filling his presence with glorious material possessions that none else could hope to afford. He slept on satin imported from India, courtesy of a crashed plane, and every morning he would awake beneath a rose canopy that accentuated the morning light filtering in through his tree palace.

Noon was spent in political meetings with neighboring tribes, mostly led by his trusted advisor, Maurice, particularly highlighting safety from the fossa. In the afternoon he relaxed beneath the shade of palm trees, sipping Piña Coladas of only the finest quality. He bathed in his personal watering hole - clear, crystal liquid highlighted by orange peels and rose petals that floated in it's steaming spring. His royal fur was groomed by dexterous paws of trained servants that brushed it to tune it's fine, silky state.

When evening was upon the lemur kingdom, King Julien was in his true element. He danced with grace and rhythm that none other could match, the throbbing lights accentuating his fur in flattering ways as he would shimmy to the beat. He was admired and adored by all in his kingdom, and he took it as a token to his perfection, disregarding how collectively idiotic his people were. His flamboyant nature made him irreplaceable when it came to the throne.

When he left Madagascar, he only intended for it to be a brief trip to get a feel for the royalty found in other countries. He thought he would return within a month, coming back with exotic spoils from foreign colonies.

Obviously, this is not what happened.

King Julien anxiously tapped his fingers against the cardboard box he was leaning on, his being radiating petulance. After much whining about his loneliness and sullen annoyance over his lack of luxury, Marlene - being the ever romantic zoo resident - came to the conclusion that what he needed was to get a date.

Still, he rejected the idea due to the fact that there was simply no one in the zoo who met his standards of beauty and finesse. She confided in Mason and Phil, who explained that there was such a thing as a dating website, which set one up with their perfect match. When Julien's complaining did not cease, even Maurice hopped on board with the concept, and Julien eventually complied with the concept. He was, after all, quite lonely.

Mason and Phil hopped in through an open window rather suddenly, immediately seating themselves on Alice's chair.

"Terribly sorry about our lateness. Phil didn't want to... Cooperate." Mason greeted Julien with a nod, garnering a shrug from his deaf counterpart.

Examining his nails, Julien rolled his eyes. "Let us be getting this over with."

There was a brief spell of typing in which Julien continued to sigh dramatically to accentuate his boredom. Eventually Phil tapped on Mason's shoulder to indicate that he had found an ideal dating website.

"It wants to know whether you are seeking a man or a woman," Mason commented after Phil signed to him.

"Uh, I don't care, _duh_," Julien yawned. "Either is fine as long as they suit my royal needs."

Phil and Mason exchanged a glance before Phil typed away. "Okay. How about you describe what you are seeking in another person?"

Julien squinted his eyes, before they lit up brightly. "Oh, I know just the thing! There was a song thingy that always made it sound perfect. Like _poetry_." He fluttered his hands as his voice lifted in excitement.

Mason sent him a dreary glance. "Care to recite it then, chap?"

Within moments, Julien's column of what he wanted in another person was typed up.

_If you like Pi__ñ__a Coladas, and getting caught in the rain_

_If you're not into yoga, if you have half a brain_

_If you like making love at midnight, in the dunes of the cape_

_I'm the love that you've looked for, write to me, and escape._

"Cheesy, but it gets the point across." Mason noted, and with that, Phil published Julien's profile.

* * *

Meanwhile, Skipper was dragging his feet across the floor of the penguin HQ. His gaze was downcast, and in the background, Kowalski, Private and Rico conversed quietly amongst themselves, peering over the top of a book so as not to seem suspicious.

"What's got him so down?" Private questioned worriedly.

"I'unno," Rico muttered.

Kowalski's eyes narrowed, before he turned to his teammates. "Get me a calendar."

Private pulled one out from behind the television. Kowalski scanned over the dates momentarily, before he yanked out his abacus and slapped the wooden beads to calculate something in his head. After a moment or so his eyes widened and he nearly slammed the thing to the ground.

"Why, it's his and Lola's anniversary! No wonder he's lethargic and depressed. His serotonin levels must be messed up due to missing his old flame." Kowalski deduced, exasperated.

"Oh dear!" Private exclaimed. "Surely there must be something we can do to help him?"

"Abudugah, wabuhdugah!" Rico interjected with vigor.

"He's right." Kowalski nodded. "Marlene did mention something over tea the other day about Mason and Phil knowing a way to fix loneliness. Perhaps then we can get back our old Skipper."

Set on their plan to pursue this opportunity, the three approached Skipper with determined minds.

* * *

"Are we done with this lame-ness now? I have kingly things to be doing with my kingly time." Julien sniffed indignantly, turning his head to the side as his fluffy tail bristled.

"It appears that we have finished, yes. We will notify you if anything else comes up." Mason explained. He elbowed Phil when he caught his primate friend making some rather obscene gestures.

"Finally!" Julien heaved his hands up, before he hopped up onto the window frame and disappeared into the night.

"Well then, looks like we can wrap up." Mason yawned.

Just before Phil could exit the browser, however, four penguins entered the room with a loud slam, all in battle formation. They instantly relaxed upon seeing that their only company were the two they were seeking, and Private waved with a bright grin.

"All right men, you'll leave us to our business." Skipper ordered with a stern glare.

"You're sure you'll be all right?" Private questioned, his doe eyes shimmering with concern.

Skipper rolled his eyes with a sigh. "_Yes_ I'm sure. Off with you now! This is a classified mission."

Confused, Kowalski spoke up. "But Skipper, we're the ones who-"

"Classified, Kowalski! Did I not order you to leave? You should've been gone seven point eight seconds ago." Skipper shoo'd them away, his scowl deepening.

The three penguins exchanged glances before they nodded and did as told, doing acrobatic flips as they departed. Skipper turned to face the two chimpanzees, who had been watching the spectacle in mild confusion.

"I need your love potion." Skipper demanded.

"I'm afraid we don't have a love potion this time," Mason looked to Phil for a moment, who rolled his eyes dramatically. "But we do have something close. It's called a dating website; you can find people who match what you want in another person."

"Oh-ho-ho, excellent!" Skipper rubbed his flippers together, hopping onto the desk. "Find me someone who knows exactly what the German embassy is planning. I never did trust those lederhosen wearing freaks. You know, once a country has attempted genocide-"

"Actually, how about this? You could fill out a profile so that other people can see if the two of you match well." Mason interrupted, baffled and slightly overwhelmed by Skipper's ever-present paranoia.

"Takes too much time," Skipper waved his wing flippantly. "Besides, I don't want them to have too much intel on me. How about you read me someone else's profile? Like... That one, right there."

He slapped his flipper over the profile displayed on screen. Being that Phil had yet to have left the page, it happened to be Julien's. The chimps exchanged a humored glance before Mason chuckled.

"If you'd like." He recited the lyrics from Rupert Holmes' most famous song, before the chimps turned to Skipper for feedback.

The penguin rubbed his flipper over his chest in thought, before a grin exploded onto his features. "A kindred spirit. I like it! Set me up with that one."

Both of the chimps' mouths fell wide open, and they stared at each other for a moment, before the shock wore off. Phil grinned ecstatically while Mason chortled under his breath.

"A-all right. Let's just - let's send them a message. What would you - ahem - like it to say?" Mason spoke between laughs.

Skipper grinned. "I know just what will knock their socks off."

_Yes, I like Pi__ñ__a Coladas, and getting caught in the rain._

_I'm not much into health food, I am into champagne._

_I've got to meet you by tomorrow night, and cut through all this red tape._

_At the zoo in Central Park, where we'll plan our escape._

By this point Mason was cracking up, near wheezing as Phil typed away. Skipper didn't quite understand the humor behind the situation, but he grinned excitedly and ignored it. He wasn't a poet, but he knew that whoever wrote the message to begin with would understand.

Hell, maybe he'd have a good chance with whoever this person was.

When he left, there was a skip in his step, and he entered the HQ with a smile permeating his features. His three teammates were playing Monopoly, and turned to face him in anticipation.

"How did it go?" Private questioned, though they all had an idea from the look on his face.

"Boys," Skipper beamed. "I've got a date."

* * *

The following day, Mason and Phil interrupted Julien's morning spa relaxation to let him know that he did, in fact, also have a date. Julien didn't seem quite surprised, though he did seem mildly elated, even if he didn't quite let it show. He tried to keep up his cool act, but the moment the chimps left, he let out a soft squeal of excitement.

He hadn't been expecting this to actually work! He knew he should've been, since he was quite attractive and amazing in every way, but it still alarmed him. Especially since whoever it was, was also enthused by the same type of music.

Both he and Skipper were fussed over by their habitat-mates, and all were excited by the idea of romance. No one but the chimps knew exactly what was going to transpire, both of which settled on the roof top of the reptile house with bags of popcorn to watch the fireworks explode.

By the time night rolled around and the zoo closed, Skipper had ordered his three men to remain in the bunker while he got settled in the middle of the park at a table. There, a candle was lit, and he straightened out the small bowtie he had carefully positioned mid-chest. When time began to pass and no one showed, however, he began to have second thoughts, and the sting of disappointment and rejection began to worm his way into his system.

Maybe this wasn't such a good idea after all?

But then, just as he was beginning to believe his own doubts, a graceful figure twirled into view. A large, feathery headdress bounced with their delicate maneuvers as they came closer, and a furry tail curled behind them. Skipper nearly lost his breath, so taken by whoever this stranger was, and he furiously began to straighten his bow once more.

"...Skipper? Is that you, you silly penguin?"

He near blanched (which was genuinely impossible for someone of his complexion), startled from his seat. He knew that voice anywhere.

"Ring-tail! Wh... What are _you_ doing here?" He asked, voice reaching a high octave, before he cleared his throat.

Julien hopped up onto the seat, expression peeved. "I have a date, and they will be here any moment, so you must shoo your cute birdy tush!"

Skipper gaped momentarily, before he put the pieces together. "...Julien, it looks like_ I'm_ your date."

"What?" The lemur questioned. "Don't be being ridiculous. Just because you have a pretty little bowtie on doesn't mean-"

"Were you the one?" Skipper's brow furrowed. "Who quoted the song?"

The two of them stared at each other for a moment, highlighted by the dim glow of the candle, before Julien leaned in, his gaze turning saccharine.

"I never knew that you liked pina coladas, and getting caught in the rain." He murmured out, voice exuding an air of confidence. Beneath it, however, Skipper sensed the caution, and his own expression softened.

"...And the feel of the ocean," Skipper breathed out after a beat, leaning in as well. "And the taste of champagne..."

A flicker of excitement passed through Julien's gaze, ignited with something akin to amor, and he licked his lips. "If you like making love at midnight, in the dunes of the cape..."

Skipper swallowed nervously, his heart beating at the very thought of doing such a thing with Julien, and he found, in that very moment, that the idea appealed to him quite strongly.

"You're the love that I've looked for." Skipper's voice was low, vibrating within his chest, and just before he closed the distance between their lips, he finished the sentiment. "Come with me and escape."

Kissing Julien was surprisingly pleasant. Skipper wouldn't have imagined such a thing in the past, but he found that his emotions had been there all along, whether he was conscious of them or not. And it made sense, really; it was hard not to be charmed by Julien. Especially since the two of them shared a taste for the more refine, luxurious aspects of life. Both of them admired the idea of living in a rich, exotic lifestyle, even if pursued in very different ways.

Julien's tongue curled against his and a purr escaped his throat as he stroked his fingers gingerly over Skipper's cheek, feathers tender and soft against his touch. Skipper sighed contently into the kiss and brought himself a bit closer, before the warmth of the candle became too much to bear and they pulled back. In Julien's eyes, Skipper could see the two of them falling in love.

"How does a trip to Monte Carlo sound to you, sweet-stuff?" Skipper winked.

Julien leaned forth to nuzzle him. "Ohoho, only if it'll just be the two of us."

They shared a kiss once more beneath the moonlight, both picturing a vacation on the beach, sipping Piña Coladas as they admired the sunset. Kissing in the rain, dinner by the shore, relaxing in a sauna. And the two of them realized, in that moment, that they fit together as well as Champagne and salmon.

Above them, on the roof, were two open-mouthed monkeys, one of which was holding a camera. Phil turned to Mason and signed to him for a moment, before Mason grinned and slapped him on the back.

"Well of course we're going to use the pictures as black-mail, should we ever need it!"

* * *

**Happy valentines day folks!**


End file.
